PEN-FAST-ED: Utilizing the PEN-FAST decision tool to guide antibiotic prescribing in the emergency department.

Background: Patient-reported penicillin allergies are frequently encountered in the emergency department (ED), which often lead to non-beta-lactam antibiotic use despite beta-lactams' place as first-line therapy in most bacterial infections. The PEN-FAST clinical decision tool was developed and validated to identify patients with a low risk of true penicillin allergies that do not require formal skin testing for rechallenging. The tool consists of four questions that add up to a total score ranging from 0 to 5.

First-time use of electronic patient-reported outcome measures in a cluster randomized trial: a qualitative study.

Background: Although there is clear evidence supporting the beneficial effects of regularly assessing patient-reported outcomes (PROs), the comprehensive integration of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) into routine cancer care remains limited. This study aimed to explore the facilitators and barriers encountered by principal investigators (PIs) (oncologists) and study nurses during the implementation of the Eir ePROM within a cluster randomized trial (c-RCT) in cancer outpatient clinics. Additionally, we sought to examine the influence of Eir on the working routines of the participants.

How Should Clinicians Discuss Deprescribing with Caregivers of Older Adults Living with Dementia? A Qualitative Study.

Background: Preventive medications are potential targets for deprescribing in older adults with dementia as goals of care change from preventive to palliative. Yet, prescribers lack communication guidance to address deprescribing.

Objective: Using bisphosphonates as a case example, we sought to characterize and compare communication preferences of prescribers and family/informal caregivers regarding deprescribing.

Impact of Lookback Duration on the Performance of a Claims-Based Frailty Proxy in Women With Stage I-III Breast Cancer.

Background: Frailty is an important prognostic indicator in older women with breast cancer. The Faurot frailty index, a validated claims-based frailty proxy measure, uses healthcare billing codes during a user-specified ascertainment window to predict frailty. We assessed how the duration of frailty ascertainment affected the ability of the Faurot frailty index to predict one-year mortality in women with stage I-II breast cancer.

Survival and quality of life after first-time diagnosis of brain metastases: a multicenter, prospective, observational study.

Background: A major concern in anticancer treatment (ACT) of brain metastases (BM) is exposing patients with short expected survival to treatments that negatively impact on quality of life (QoL). Such futile ACT at the end of life is time-consuming and burdensome for patients and their families and entails unnecessary healthcare costs. Refraining from ACT is challenging for both physicians and patients.